Electroseismic prospecting by detection of an electromagnetic signal produced by dipolar movement
AssigneeExxon Production Research Company
InventorArthur H. Thompson
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Abstract
A method of electroseismic prospecting is disclosed for detecting either the presence of two immiscible fluids present in a porous subterranean formation or the presence of a high-permeability rock formation including a substantially aqueous phase therein. A seismic impact produces an acoustical wavefront that results in an enhanced electromagnetic signal when it encounters either types of the above-described formations. This resulting enhanced electromagnetic signal is detectable as an indication of a likely hydrocarbon deposit, thereby giving additional data information with conventional seismic data to the geophysical prospector.
Claims32
The method of electroseismic prospecting for the existence of hydrocarbon deposits by the detection of two immiscible fluids present in a porous subterranean formation, which comprises
- initiating a seismic impact at a source location such that if the acoustical wavefront therefrom encounters a region of porous subterranean formation containing at least two immiscible fluids in a common pore space an electromagnetic signal originating from dipolar movement in said region and traveling from said region at the speed of light is produced and
- detecting said electromagnetic signal as an indication of the existence of likely hydrocarbon deposits in the vicinity of said region.
The method of electroseismic prospecting for the existence of hydrocarbon deposits by the detection of a body of high-permeability rock located beneath the earth's surface that includes a substantially aqueous phase in the pore space of said rock, which comprises
- initiating a seismic impact at a source location such that if the acoustical wavefront therefrom encounters a body of high-permeability rock that contains a pore fluid having a substantially aqueous phase in the pore space of said rock an electromagnetic signal originating from dipolar movement in said body and traveling from said body at the speed of light is produced, and
- detecting said electromagnetic signal as an indication of the existence of likely hydrocarbon deposits in the vicinity of said high-permeability rock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.